Dante Marchitelli on Orlando Magic Past & Present & Sports Media Versatility – Leaps by Franz-Paolo-Suggs-Goga, Hedo Turkoglu, Jamahl Mosley, Jeff Weltman, David Steele & Jeff Turner, Pat Williams

Ep. 29 with Dante Marchitelli

Dante Marchitelli is an Orlando Magic Host and Sideline Reporter for Bally sports
 and is a Host of Magic Insiders on 969 The Game and The Pod Squad with the Orlando Magic

Today we dive down Orlando Magic history: Dante's journey into Basketball Media, lessons learned working with David Steele and Jeff Turner calling Magic games, Magic player personalities off the court like Hedo Turkoglu, honor Pat Williams' legacy, the process of current front office led by Jeff Weltman, the authentic energy of head coach Jamahl Mosley, the value of Goga Bitadze, the team's heart and soul in Jalen Suggs, and the leaps made this year of Orlando's big wing stars Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero

Timestamps

0:00 Introduction & Background


7:00 Difference in goals between sideline reporting, play-by-play, and studio show and lessons learned from working with David Steele & Jeff Turner
, the popularity of Is This Anything? the best recurring bit in basketball host media

15:20 Origin of The Thanksgiving Postgame Turkey Leg, kudos to Paul Kennedy

18:20 Which Magic Players’ Personalities shined off the court?
21:39 Hedo Turkoglu, Glue Guy of the 2009 Finals Magic team, and Stan Van Gundy’s Magic pioneering modern spacing around Dwight Howard & Shoutout to Magic Players like Dwight Howard, Paolo Banchero, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope giving back to the community

27:27 Honoring Pat Williams Legacy as the Orlando Magic’s Pied Piper

33:27 The Process of Orlando Magic front office Jeff Weltman, John Hammond, Anthony Parker targeting team-first people who bring two-way impact in their roster building


39:24 Head Coach Jamahl Mosley’s authenticity, impact, energy, communication style, and the impact he brings to the team’s culture: The Magic Standard


46:45 Goga Bitadze’s defense, screening, value and growth with this team


54:48 Jalen Suggs point guard development and impact: “The Heart and Soul. The lifeblood of this team.”


1:00:00 Franz Wagner & Paolo Banchero’s leaps to All-Star impact and All-NBA moments and Orlando Magic season expectations the rest of the way once everyone’s available